


The Ceremony of Innocence is Drowned

by XaviaAndromedovna



Series: Daily Fic Drabbles Table A [5]
Category: Glee
Genre: F/M, Homophobia, Post-Season 4, TW: mentions of anti-trans violence, Transphobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-17
Updated: 2013-06-17
Packaged: 2017-12-15 07:54:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/847125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XaviaAndromedovna/pseuds/XaviaAndromedovna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The whole school knows Unique catfished Ryder.  She tries to protect him from the danger she's brought him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Ceremony of Innocence is Drowned

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Innocence

It’s weeks before Unique and Ryder talk to each other again.

“You shouldn’t have come here.”

“I had to.”

“Go away.”

“Ryder, you have to talk to someone.”

“Not you.”  He shuts the front door in her face.

“Ryder!  Please let me help you!”

He stalks back to the door and yanks it open.  “Help me?!  You’re the one who got me in this mess!  I told you I don’t want anything to do with you so just fucking go already!”

“You’re in danger.”  Unique looks at the ground.  Fear and shame war for dominance on her face.

This gets Ryder’s attention.  “What do you mean?”

“Can I come in?”

Ryder draws a hand across his face in frustration, but decides hearing her out is less painful.  Things can’t exactly get worse.

It didn’t take long to circulate around school that Ryder and Unique had been in a relationship of sorts, and the past two weeks have been Hell for both of them.  Ryder’d received a slushy a day and ‘FAGGOT’ scrawled on his locker, while Unique was physically assaulted off school property.  She hadn’t been in school for a few days.

“Unique’s not going back to McKinley; it’s not safe for people like me.  So don’t worry, after today you’ll never see me again.  I just wanted to make sure you’re safe.”

“Yeah, well I’m not.  I’m actually pretty damn unsafe right now, thanks to you.”

“I know, and I’m so sorry.  I never meant—“

“To hurt me, yeah I know I’ve heard that one before.  But guess what?  You did.  You lied to me.  You made me think that… that someone actually cared about me, that I could trust you.  I told you about what happened to me.”  A tear rolls down his face and Unique lowers her head.  “I trusted you with my biggest secret and you just— you know how hard it is for me to trust people.  That girl, she took my, my innocence and I thought I was getting that back with Katie.  I thought, ‘finally someone that _gets_ me, someone that’s not going to hurt me’ and you just… kept hurting me.”

Ryder stops and focuses on his breathing.  Unique chooses her words carefully before dabbing at mascara-stained cheeks and clearing her throat.

“Do you remember why we started fighting in the first place?  You said I was a ‘dude’.  If I was honest with you in the beginning we never would’ve been friends, because you’d never understand I’m not a guy, I was just born different from the other girls.  But you’d listen to Katie.  You told me she was the reason you finally understood me.  Unique didn’t stand a chance, so I did what I had to to make you see me for who I was.”

“I’m sorry, you thought pretending to be someone else would make me see the real you?  Actually, yeah, I guess it did.  I saw that you’re a lying, selfish bitch and a COWARD.”

Unique winces but keeps her eyes firmly on the ground.  “You’re right.  I’m sorry you had to go through this.”

“Yeah, excuse me if I don’t believe another god-damned word you say.”

“I didn’t come here for forgiveness I don’t deserve.  I came here to tell you they’re coming for you.  Marley heard them talking after the fight today.  Ask her if you don’t believe me.  They’ll hurt you, maybe kill you.”

“They can try.”

“Ryder, this isn’t a game.  Look what they did to me!”

“Yeah but I’m not a girl.”  They realize what he’s just admitted at the same time.  “It’s not the trans thing, not anymore.  I still— but we can’t go back.”

“’The Ceremony of Innocence is drowned,’” she recites ruefully.  He frowns, confused.  “Yeats.  I finally get it.”

“You should go.”

She does.  She dares one last glance.  “Please be careful.”

Ryder nods and shuts the door.

**Author's Note:**

> Glee and W. B. Yeats are not mine.


End file.
